Hotel Operations Analysis is a core course in the MS in Hospitality Industry Studies program. Professor Gary Budge, the instructor, tells us more about his background and the course in this post.
What is your background?
A career spanning nearly 50 years in hospitality allowed me to see, do and learn a wide range of knowledge in all areas of our constantly evolving business. Working in major markets including Atlanta, Washington, DC and New York City gave me incredible insight into all aspects of our business. Growing from positions in operations into corporate leadership and being general manager of hotels large and small further allowed me to learn about and work with associates, guests and ownership groups, the key stakeholders of a successful hospitality operation.
At the Tisch Center, you teach the Hotel Operations Analysis course. What are the objectives of the course?
The objectives of the course are to excite students to the importance of understanding the alignment of the hospitality operation with the ownership/ real estate part of the business enterprise. Through lectures, guest speakers and physical tours, when permitted, students are able to discover how the components of the hospitality business create value for the owner of the real estate asset. Students understand the importance of revenue generation, prudent cost control, excellent guest experiences and treating associates as "paid volunteers", they further see how the vision of the owner, often expressed through the asset manager must be aligned with the operation for the mutual benefit of all parties.
Why is this an important and interesting subject area in our fields?
Because hospitality is a business and real estate is a business it is critical for our students to value the entire business cycle of the enterprise. Understanding and appreciating the value to the owner of a hotel's ability to deliver high quality guest experiences consistently is incredibly valuable for an NYU Tisch Center student, making the business even more dimensional for the individual who chooses this career track.
What impact do you hope to have on your students through this course?
As with all courses I have had the opportunity to teach at NYU Tisch Center, I work to instill a sense of awareness and discovery in the content I deliver. I provide text to read, as well as articles to study, we review current events weekly in our course because our profession is market driven and in constant change, our visits to hotels are intended to make connections with people and content and to share the scope of possibility with our students.
Is there anything else you’d like to share?
Having graduated with my advanced degree from the program in 1999, I have been actively involved in watching the Tisch Center of Hospitality change and grow over the past 25 years, from the time of the center's inception. NYU is a great location for the Center of Hospitality, the city is truly our laboratory. Students excited about our business, our industry, are in an enviable place to experience hospitality "in action" as a part of our Center.